Danielle Hodsdon grew up in New Hampshire competing in 3-day events before she fell into the world of steeplechase while attending school for Sports Medicine at Shenandoah University. Danni sat on her first racehorse in 1999 for Jimmy Day and despite being promptly run off she was hooked.  In 2003 while working for the late Tom Voss she tallied 8 wins to be the leading NSA apprentice. By this time a career in Sports Medicine had been forgotten.

Danni had her most successful years while riding for and being assistant trainer to Jonathan Sheppard where she partnered he and Bill Pape’s “Mixed Up” throughout his 7-year steeplechase career that included 13 jump wins and an Eclipse award for Champion Steeplechaser. In 2006 Danni became the second female to earn the NSA Champion Jockey title with 21 wins from 93 starts. Other career highlights include back to back wins in the G1 Royal Chase at Keeneland and 17 victories at the prestigious Saratoga, including a flat win aboard Sermon of Love. Danni’s true passion has always been for the day to day training and developing of the horses and she regularly traveled with Breeders Cup filly & mare champion “Forever Together.”

Outside of being a jockey Danni has trained the odd flat horse and jumper as well as partnered with Changing Leads, a former not for profit OTTB retraining program, training and placing retired racehorses in new careers. Danni will be partnered by Howe Great a graded stake winner for Team Valor and Graham Motion who spent his years training at Fair Hill. Currently Danni is working full-time as a Physical Therapist Assistant and spends her free mornings galloping a few horses at Fair Hill. Danni is sponsored by Ali Goodrich, current owner of Howe Great.